


Comfort

by UltVisual



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band), 믹스나인 | MIXNINE (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, you can read it as platonic or shippy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-12 04:45:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15332076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltVisual/pseuds/UltVisual
Summary: Life catches up with Hyunsuk.





	Comfort

Mixnine is… Contradictory.

That’s the most apt way Hyunsuk can find to describe it. In front of the camer’s he might call it an “opportunity” or “a forever memory”, and while those are both true, they don’t quite capture all the facets to the survival program. While the polished episodes paint a picture of camaraderie and friendship, there’s the omnipresent knowledge that in the end it’s a competition, and that they can’t all stick around forever. It’s an odd type of sadism that Mixnine breeds among them, sadness and relief mingling as their friends and fellow competitors are struck down.

It’s called a survival show for a reason.

Hyunsuk’s confident, he wouldn’t have gotten this far if he wasn’t, but as Mixnine draws to a close, everyone’s on edge, deadlines looming. Even Jinyoung, who’s sitting comfortably in first place, is fraying at the edges, his practicing picking up a hint of that frantic edge that consumes the lower ranked participants.

When they announce the individual mission though, the tension rises even higher if possible, everyone scoping out the competition consideringly as they play the three songs. They’re all good, as one would expect from the YG producers, but from the three, Stand By Me is the one that sticks in Hyunsuk’s mind. When the time comes for him to choose, he goes to Stand By Me’s room without hesitation, settled in his decision. As time passes though, it becomes clear that most people feel the same, the number of contestants in the Stand By Me room growing steadily. By the time selection is finished, there’s twelve people, three too many, and one of the staff comes in to ask some of them to switch. A murmur runs through the group, no one exactly happy with the prospect of having to change, and Hyunsuk considers the situation.

In the end, moving from Stand By Me to Super Freak isn’t too hard. Super Freak’s the kind of song he was probably expected to pick, and while there’s certain value in mixing things up, at the end of the day Super Freak is (relatively) comfortable territory. So when they announce a need for volunteers to switch, it only takes a moment of consideration until he stands and offers. A few looks are exchanged between the other participants, but they wave him off, no doubt glad to be rid of one of the top nine, and he exits the room.

Byeongkwan’s face splits into a large grin at the sight of him, and when he sits, Hyunsuk’s pulled into a side hug. It’s reassuring in a way that makes Hyunsuk blink at the unexpectedness of it. He wouldn’t say that he’s particularly close to Byeongkwan, but it’s hard not to forge a bond when you’ve been through so much together.

The lower ranked members of the group look much less enthusiastic about Hyunsuk’s arrival than Byeongkwan, but he knows that it’s nothing really personal, that he’s just another hurdle they’ll have to jump over to reach the top. While Hyunsuk is confident, he’s not cocky enough to miss how desperate the other members of their team are for a top three spot, their focus during practice sharpening in a last ditch attempt at success. 

Their group does well in recording. Very well. Enough so that Hyunsuk seriously starts to come to terms with the fact that he could drop drastically during the next evaluation. Even Mingyun, whose voice has always skirted the edge between pleasantly unique and mildly irritating, and Heejoon, who’s never rapped more than a handful of times, do well enough that the producers look pleased and praise them. Meanwhile, Hyunsuk’s anxiety only grows, creeping through him dark and insidious as he tries to relax before it’s his turn to go up and record. He leans back of the battered sofa of the recording waiting room, and mentally runs over his rap one last time before he’s called up.

“The future of YG,” Dongkyun says with a slight smile as Hyunsuk goes up. While the words themself are complementary, there’s a heavily implied expectation of perfecting that only intensifies the worry curdling inside him. Hyunsuk grins shakily, and steps into the recording booth.

He does… not so well. He trips over his lines, dropping words and mangling syllables in his nervousness. Through the window, he can see his teammates talking among one another, and at the end of the sofa, next to the empty spot he’d left, Byeongkwan, expression bordering on terse as Hyunsuk is told to run it through again. Finally, he wraps it up, and exits the recording booth, thanking the producers quietly. They give him a thin smile, and Hyunsuk flops back into his seat, and shoving the crumpled paper containing his lyrics deep into his pocket. He’ll have to go through it again later, but for now he’s content to try and wipe it from his mind for now as the others finish recording. 

Even as he sits, worry buzzing through his head, Hyunsuk can feel the sharp prickle of tears in his eyes, emotions culminating into release however they can. As it is though, Hyunsuk tilts his head back, and pushes them down, content to not let them see the light of day for now. Training at YG has taught him to persevere in the face of criticism, if nothing else, and he has enough practice pushing down sadness and frustration and hopelessness that it’s second nature to just stand back up instead of letting it beat him down.

He’s just started to slip into a fuzzy state somewhere between sleep and wake, no doubt a product of too many nights with only scraps of sleep, when Byungkwan nudges his arm, and Hyunsuk looks over to see the older idol giving him a concerned look. “You good?”

Hyunsuk pulls back, and Byungkwan’s eyebrows push together slightly. While Hyunsuk isn’t particularly adverse to skinship, there’s an odd sort of defensiveness that’s settled deeper in him the closer the end draws near, like showing even the slightest hint of vulnerability is a deathwish. 

“Yeah,” Hyunsuk says, forcing a smile. “Why?”

“You just seemed a little shaky with your rap,” Byungkwan says carefully. “Just wondering if there was something bothering you.”

Hyunsuk shrugs a little, trying to retain an air of appropriate nonchalance. “We’re almost at the end, how could I not be stressed?”

Byeongkwan’s eyes track over his face, and Hyunsuk can feel his smile fracturing at the edges, feeling like it’ll flake off and leave his stress and fear bare for the world to see. Byeongkwan opens his mouth, as if to speak, but then Minsuk’s finished up and they’re getting up and moving to the practice room for dance, and it’s easy enough for Hyunsuk to slip away to the other side of the group from Byungkwan. He feels a little bad for avoiding the other idol, but not enough to go back right away.

Dance practice ends earlier than usual, everyone worn out from multiple nights of little to no sleep, and the instructor taking pity on them. By the time they get back to the dorm and have all made their way to bed, it’s 3 am, not bad considering how late they’ve stayed up the past few days.

Hyunsuk’s tired, he really is, but he can’t seem to fall asleep, his mind relentlessly running over every deadline they need to meet, every dance step, every line of his rap. With a huff of frustration, he rolls over and smothers his face into his pillow, not wanting to wake the others who are already deep asleep after the long day. A light touch on his shoulder though, reveals that it’s a little late for that. Hyunsuk peels his face away from the pillow, and squints at the silhouette crouched next to his mattress.

“Byungkwan?” He says, voice low as his eyes adjust and he can pick out the features of the other idol. Byeongkwan nods minutely, and shuffles closer a little.

“Can I sleep here, with you?”

Hyunsuk blinks in suprise. While the request itself isn’t too strange, they’ve all run to each other for that specific brand of comfort only physical proximity can bring, it’s odd coming from Byeongkwan directed at him. Byeongkwan hadn’t really seemed like he was particularly upset, and Hyunsuk would’ve thought he would go to one of his fellow label mates if he did want comfort.

Hyunsuk’s thoughts don’t make it to his his mouth though, and he whispers out a “Sure.” before moving over slightly so the other idol can join him on the mattress. For a minute or two it’s awkwardly uncomfortable, the two of them trying to fit their various limbs on to the small mattress comfortably. Eventually, they settle, Hyuksuk’s face hovering around Byungkwan’s shoulders, and Byungkwan’s arm draped over Hyunsuk’s torso. It’s not the most comfortable arrangement, but Hyunsuk has to admit that there’s something innately comforting in being so close to someone.

They lie there in silence for a few minutes, the gentle sleepy sounds of the other members in the room washing over Hyunsuk as he settles into the warmth that Byeongkwan seems to exude. He’s just starting to fade into sleep when the other speaks.

“It’s starting to get stressful,” Byungkwan says, arm shifting over Hyunsuk slightly as he speaks. “Not like it wasn’t before, but so close to the end it’s…”

“Worse,” Hyunsuk supplies as Byeongkwan trails off.

“Yeah.”

It’s silent again after that, but Hyunsuk’s awake again, Byungkwan’s simple words shifting something inside him. Rationally, he knows that everyone still here is probably just, if not more, stressed and tired as he is, even if they won’t say it out loud. Hearing Byeongkwan say it though is affirming yet almost unsettling, like the sudden openness is too much for Hyunsuk. He feels the bitter sting of tears in his eyes, and squeezes them shut, trying to will them away before they can surface.

“It’s okay,” Byungkwan says, voice gentle. He pulls Hyunsuk closer, and Hyunsuk has to curl up to press his face into Byungkwan’s chest, but it feels safe, the world shuttered away by the thin worn cotton of Byungkwan’s hoodie and his arm draped over Hyunsuk. His fingers stroke against the back of Hyunsuk’s neck, and it’s so heart-wrenchingly gentle that Hyunsuk can’t help the tears that emerge, the knot of tension and frustration and upset in his chest fully untangling under Byungkwan’s gentle hands. He’s still aware of their teammate slumbering around them, and he tries to stifle his sobs as best he can, letting Byungkwan’s hoodie wick them away.

It’s cathartic in the deepest way, like his tears and Byeongkwan’s kindness can clean away his worries and fears, even if it’s just for one night.

Eventually, Hyunsuk’s tears die off, and he’s left with his face pressed close to Byeongkwan, still cradled in the other’s arms. It’s peaceful, the muffled rhythm of his teammate’s heart beat and his gentle breaths a quiet soundtrack as he cards his fingers through the rapper’s bleach-rough hair.

“Sorry,” Hyunsuks sniffles eventually, wiping the last damp remains of tears from his cheeks. “Your shirt’s a mess now.”

“I can wash it.” Byungkwan says looking unconcerned, an easy smile crinkling his eyes. Hyunsuk feels a shaky smile form on his face, and Byeongkwan returns it, eyes soft. Byeongkwan ruffles a hand through Hyunsuk's hair, and Hyunsuk wrinkles his nose. His hair is probably a wild disarray, but the gentle, pleased expression on Byeongkwan's face is enough to erase any upset.

"You should try to sleep," Byeongkwan says after a moment, hand stilling from where it had been rubbing soothing circles into Hyunsuk's back.

"Okay," Hyunsuk replies, voice already growing blurred with sleep. "Can... Can you stay though?"

"Of course." Byeongkwan's tone is sleepy, and when Hyunsuk looks up from where he's still curled against the older idol to see his eyes already fluttering shut.

“Thanks,” Hyunsuk says quietly. Byeongkwan makes a soft, sleepy noise, and Hyunsuk drifts off to sleep, curled under his arm.

**Author's Note:**

> mixnine is dead but whatever :)
> 
> check out my tumblr [UltVisual](ultvisual)


End file.
